I don't really think the CD DVD comparison works on this one as it's a different animal altogether. With DVD and CD releases, the release dates are hyped up, like an event. You see them advertised all over the place, to the point where each store has a specific exclusive version of the item to entice you to buy from them. You know weeks to months in advance when that movie you're waiting for comes out. Most stores even have charts and posters advertising the dates. If the movie gets put out early, even a low level stock boy would probably notice pretty quickly. And at no time during the wait for these new films are there empty shelves being held back for these new items to be placed, they'll fill them with some other movie in the mean time. And even if that argument doesn't hold up, well, I'm pretty sure that CD's and DVD's aren't shipped to the stores months ahead of time to collect dust in the back room. Hasbro shipping these boxes to retailers so early is just asking for the street date to be broken. How many store managers just saw that there were empty pegs and told the stock boys to fill them, they might not have noticed the "do not put out" sign, they probably didn't even think of it, because since when do toys have release dates like movies? Although I agree that Hasbro doesn't have to say screw it, it's well within their right to make them take it down, I just don't think it's right to penalize stores that just might not have known any better. But who knows if they're even doing that, at this point it's just speculation and rumor. I like to think they have better things to do with their time.

It would have been neat if they could have packed in the other colored shoulder pads with the Sandtrooper. I'm no army builder, but I would have gotten a few extra just to have one of each color with the ball hips. Imagine the sales from the army builders.

I dunno why but i totally geeked hearing them mention Stark. How crazy is it that we're getting a series of movies that intertwine with one another like this? That said, this movie looks like it'll be pretty cool, though it really looks like it's got a lot going on to fit into a normal movie length.

If they're smart, they'll pack in the Hammer Drones for 2011 wave 1 at least 2 per case. If they're smart. Not holding my breath though. The battle pack idea is equally good, but I really can't see them doing that. They'd have to throw another IM in there somewhere to justify it.

It's all very complicated, especially with these big box retailers, since all the deals would be done with the big gods of the chains, which is what makes it even more confusing as most of these stores that broke the street date might not have known the full extent of severity of the agreement or realized it was even that big of a deal. I mean they could just be stocking one night, notice some empty pegs, and the manager says, "oh, those are empty, there's a box in the back somewhere, put those out." without so much as a thought. Hope no one gets fired for it, cuz if there's money loss involved someone is bound to pay for it. That would suck, getting canned because you stocked the shelves. Ouch.

See, for me it's not about wanting to get stuff early. I had no problem waiting, I'm just looking at this from the stores perspective and how ridiculous it seems to have to follow this senseless street date at all. These stores have paid for these products, why shouldn't they be able to sell them? Are they really expected to keep all that shelf space open for something they aren't even allowed to put out? My local Wal Mart had empty pegs for a good 2 months at least I'd say. If I was a store owner and I got some ridiculous fines from Hasbro for selling product that I paid for in full I'd be pretty pissed. I'd probably say screw it and just stop carrying their product altogether just based on the principle alone. The whole thing just seems like a slippery slope that's only going to anger the people who actually sell the products. I don't really see the comparison with the stormtrooper armor guys. They were making money off of someone elses design that they didn't pay for. The stores putting product out doesn't hurt anyone as Hasbro already has their cash.

On another note, is there an actual contract I wonder or is everyone just getting boxes from Hasbro with "do not put out" labels on them?

I just don't see much point in enforcing it now, with like a week left till August. Just seems like a waste of resources to send reps around to see if people broke street date and bother pulling stuff now.

I just noticed in the slideshow that they're rebooting the Iron Man line in 2011 with new packaging and no armor cards. Wave one has the movie Whiplash armor. Perhaps theres some hope for this line after all then if it's going to have a totally different SKU. Maybe this is Hasbro's attempt to salvage it?